If the plans of opponents of Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki sail through, a September deadline for his exit from office may be achieved.

If he pulls through the deadline as the Number Three Citizen, his opponents’ Plan B, is December.

By their permutations, only a return to political negotiating table, would see him as Senate president in the New Year.

Two different power blocs are buffeting him over the National Assembly leadership crisis.

The two forces, each from the South and the North, are aiming for same result for different reasons, Saturday Tribune learnt.

There are also multi-pronged battle plans, outlined in two major broad patterns.

Saturday Tribune’s foray into Saraki’s opponents camp on Friday revealed a no-retreat design until the final objective is achieved.

The realisation that the opponents are without the requisite number to achieve his impeachment reportedly activated other plans which are already unfolding, though at infancy stage.

Shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari named his principal officers, including the Chief of Staff and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), a secret agenda was said to have been set to take firm control of all machinery of government, including the National Assembly.

One of the items on the said agenda according to sources, was the decision to deal with Senate President Bukola Saraki by getting him out of the seat by the end of the third quarter of this year.

According to sources, a secret committee, including some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a governor from the North West as well as some persons seen as knowledgeable in the security services was put in place to work out the plan.

Sources said the plot turned out to have coincided with a similar plan by yet another leader of the party based in the south who had set out to work on the Saraki project since July.

The two plans, according to sources include digging up “dirty things” about the Senate President and ensuring that such things influence the Senate to effect a change.

It was gathered that one of the factors delaying the release of the ministerial list is the continued presence of Saraki as Senate helmsman as some forces in the government are said to have decided that Saraki should not be allowed to screen the ministers.

Sources in the legislature said that plan to remove Saraki has now taken different dimensions, with both constitutional and security measures being lined up.

One of the sources said that the Senate President faces arrest and prolonged detention as a way of forcing the Senate to look elsewhere, while another step involves orchestrating charges bordering on alleged corrupt practices against him.

The source said that the forces against Saraki are actually looking at a two-way action. One is to use the planned detention to get him out of the way or force him to negotiate away his deputy while the other is to use the instrumentality of series of allegations that would be raised against him to weaken the resolve of senators to back his leadership.

“When there are avalanche of allegations against Saraki, the senators would be tailored to think that backing him would amount to obstructing the anti-corruption war of the government, thus his support base would wane,” a source said.

His support base was said to have been outlined into two broad parts; senators elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) mainly from the South and the party leadership on the one hand and some northern senators of APC hue and political bigwigs from the same North on the other hand.

Saturday Tribune learnt that persuasion is already on with northern APC senators to get them to withdraw their support for Saraki by casting him as an enemy of President Buhari for allowing PDP have a say in his administration through the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
Northern political leaders supporting Saraki are also reportedly being told that by striking a deal for a major office with PDP, which is now mainly dominated by southerners, Saraki wanted to derail the repositioning and rebirth of the North which Buhari’s administration was poised to achieve.

While persuasion was being employed in the North and APC, heavy security crackdown, according to findings, would be the weapon to dismantle PDP’s support for the embattled senate president.

PDP leading lights and outspoken senators are reportedly marked for heavy pounding using the security system, till they are battle-weary.
The raid on Akwa-Ibom Government House, according to findings, was reportedly targeted at sending strong signals.

A source told Saturday Tribune: “Let’s see how someone with dollars hidden in his home would return from treatment abroad and still be rallying support for another person when he himself would need support to go through his scandal”.

Senate Minority Leader and former Akwa-Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio, is thought to be the subject of the innuendo.

Saturday Tribune was told that the crackdown would not be without basis, with massive intelligence gathering being deployed to catch the PDP leaders at their weakest points, thereby making it easier to deal with them within the confines of the law and security.

It was learnt that this move has expectedly brought A-list PDP members under intense security surveillance, with corruption issues being targeted to break their resolve of sustained support for Saraki.

The Senate president is also reportedly listed for ceaseless anti-corruption battle until he gets to breaking point of succumbing to the party and allow its wish of picking other principal officers, or getting fired from the plum job.

One of those heckling him told Saturday Tribune last night that he had no choice but to appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Monday or find himself in an embarrassing situation.

When reminded that the alleged offence at the Code of Conduct a tribunal was bailable, the source said other battles await him even if he is released on bail.

The rumour was also thick on Friday night that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may take him in next week.

When Saturday Tribune checked with the Commission, there was no evidence of invitation yet.

A source, however, didn’t rule out his outright arrest.

Another plan is also allegedly afoot to effect a change of leadership while he is moved from one cell to the other over the four alleged corruption cases pending against him.

A top PDP notcher told Saturday Tribune that “hell will break loose in the nation if Ekweremadu isn’t allowed to function in Saraki’s absence.”

“They can do whatever they like with their Senate president. But the moment he is out, our person steps in. He is number two there. Those thinking Saraki’s exit would make way for another election are jokers,” the source said.

To him, even if Saraki is impeached, Ekweremadu can still take over since PDP isn’t part of whatever zoning arrangement that produced Saraki.

“Let them continue with their game. It may end up being PDP’s lucky day. If they throw their man out, we could ultimately take over the place” the PDP man said.

Source: http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/battle-plans-against-saraki

Whatever

Yawns, a thief is a thief and should be treated as such.... Period.

"only a fool will believe that this useless politicians care about the masses". Quote me anywhere.

Polithieves can do whatever they like with themselves, but one corrupt spoilt brat will not sit in his chamber and be rubbishing the judicial system of this country.

If truly Saraki has soiled his hands, then he should be made to face the music and full wrath of the law.

If APC can take on Saraki, I pity Ekeremadu. Saraki's own would be a child's play.

All eyes and attention now on Saraki, I hope this is not some kind of diversion.

Wey the ministerial list na?

this be like game theory...